Amato: No crisis in N.C. State program

RALEIGH, N.C. - Embattled coach Chuck Amato refused to answer questions about his future Monday but insisted his slumping North Carolina State program isn&#39;t facing a crisis.<br> <br> ``On the outside, yes, we&#39;ve lost games. And do we like it? No. Because losing in anything is not liked,&#39;&#39; Amato said. ``But is there a crisis here? If there is, I haven&#39;t seen it.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> Before Amato&#39;s weekly news conference, a school spokeswoman said that neither Amato nor the players would discuss the coach&#39;s future.<br> <br> When a reporter asked Amato how he would answer critics who call for his firing, Amato responded, ``I think you&#39;ve been told about that. I&#39;m not going to get into speculation.&#39;&#39; And the news conference ended.<br> <br> Athletic director Lee Fowler did not immediately return a telephone call seeking comment on the coach&#39;s future.<br> <br> Amato could be on the hot seat for the second time this season. The Wolfpack (3-8, 2-6 Atlantic Coast Conference) have lost six consecutive games entering their finale against East Carolina.<br> <br> ``It&#39;s a season that we are very not happy with, but that does not mean that next year, who knows?&#39;&#39; said Amato, who cited Maryland and Wake Forest as examples of teams that were losers one season and winners the next.<br> <br> ``This program&#39;s in good shape,&#39;&#39; he said.<br> <br> N.C. State is coming off a 23-9 defeat at rival North Carolina, which at the time was 1-9 with no Division I-A wins under a lame-duck coach. The Tar Heels still managed to keep the Wolfpack out of the end zone, force three turnovers in the fourth quarter and give the Wolfpack their most lopsided ACC loss of the season.<br> <br> ``We&#39;ve got to score. Something other than three points,&#39;&#39; Amato said. ``It&#39;s a little bit of everything, when you look at it. A couple of weeks ago, I heard the word playcalling. I cited you quite a few examples of playcalling but that the plays were there, and then it becomes an execution thing.<br> <br> ``You have to make plays. We&#39;re one play away. This is a season of inches. You go back and look at the inches.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> The Wolfpack have been streaky all season. The started 1-2 with a home loss to Akron and a road rout at Southern Mississippi, but home victories over then-ranked Boston College and Florida State pacified the coach&#39;s critics and seemed to provide hope that N.C. State had turned things around.<br> <br> Then, the Wolfpack lost five straight games by an average of 5.8 points. The Tar Heels sealed their victory by forcing a turnover after a questionable fourth-quarter decision by Amato.<br> <br> N.C. State trailed 16-9 with about two minutes left and faced a fourth-and-7 at its own 15 when Amato chose to go for it. Quarterback Daniel Evans scrambled and was hit at the 2 by linebacker Melik Brown, who knocked the ball loose, and Brian Rackley returned it for the game-sealing touchdown.<br> <br> ``We didn&#39;t expect what happened to happen, and we felt like we could get&#39;&#39; the first down, Amato said. ``It was a stretch, there&#39;s no doubt about it, but at least those kids know that we were going to win the football game.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> The players say they aren&#39;t allowing the questions surrounding Amato&#39;s future to affect them. Linebacker Pat Lowery said the coaches shouldn&#39;t have to take the blame for foolish penalties and other miscues committed by the Wolfpack players.<br> <br> ``I don&#39;t think there&#39;s anything you can coach as far as penalties or anything like that,&#39;&#39; Lowery said. ``I think as players, just have to take responsibility for that, and keep yourself under control, and understand that it&#39;s not just about a person. It&#39;s about an entire team, and when you do something like that, it affects the whole team.&#39;&#39;